U.S. inflation · 1931–2012
$100 in 1931 has the same buying power as
$1,510
in 2012
| Cumulative price change | 1410.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.41% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $1,510 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $1,410 |
| CPI in 1931 | 15.2 |
| CPI in 2012 | 229.594 |
| Inflation in 1931 | -8.98% |
| Inflation in 2012 | 2.07% |
| $100 in 1931 → 2012 | $1,510 |
| $100 in 2012 → 1931 | $6.62 |
Between 1931 and 2012, the Consumer Price Index went from 15.2 to 229.594. Cumulatively, prices increased 1410.5%, which works out to an average of 3.41% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1931 bought what $0.07 buys in 2012.
| Amount in 1931 | Value in 2012 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $15.10 |
| $5.00 | $75.52 |
| $10.00 | $151 |
| $20.00 | $302 |
| $50.00 | $755 |
| $100 | $1,510 |
| $500 | $7,552 |
| $1,000 | $15,105 |
| $5,000 | $75,524 |
| $10,000 | $151,049 |
| $100,000 | $1,510,487 |
| $1,000,000 | $15,104,868 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1931 spending costs in 2012, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1931 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.41% | $1,510 |
| Food | 3.64% | $1,812 |
| Apparel | 2.18% | $574 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1931: core (all items less food & energy) (1957–), energy (1957–), housing (1967–), medical care (1935–), transportation (1935–), recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1931 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | 15.2 | -9.0% | $100 |
| 1936 | 13.9 | 1.5% | $91.45 |
| 1941 | 14.7 | 5.0% | $96.71 |
| 1946 | 19.5 | 8.3% | $128 |
| 1951 | 26 | 7.9% | $171 |
| 1956 | 27.2 | 1.5% | $179 |
| 1961 | 29.9 | 1.0% | $197 |
| 1966 | 32.4 | 2.9% | $213 |
| 1971 | 40.5 | 4.4% | $266 |
| 1976 | 56.9 | 5.8% | $374 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $598 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $721 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $896 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $1,032 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $1,165 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $1,326 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $1,480 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $1,510 |
Long periods are sampled every 5 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1931 to 2012: $100 is worth $1,510 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1931-to-2012/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1931 to 2012. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1931-to-2012/
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U annual averages (series CUUR0000SA0; category indexes listed on the data sources page). See how these numbers are calculated.